Posts by Carter Wrenn
An Old Doctrine
Politics just gets stranger and stranger. Trump ordered around 200 Tren de Aragua gang members deported – the ACLU filed a lawsuit, told a judge five of the deportees weren’t Tren de Aragua gang members. All Trump had to do was prove the ACLU was wrong. But he didn’t. Instead his lawyers said he had…
Read MoreThey probably won’t…
Whoever heard of a Washington politician voting to shut down the government? A bone-deep Washington politician, Chuck Schumer tore into Trump’s ‘continuing budget resolution,’ called it a bad bill then voted for it – to keep the government open. Trump thanked Schumer. Democrats howled. Tap-dancing Schumer threw up a smoke screen. Back when Trump first…
Read MoreWake Up, America
A dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, locked down during COVID, he called, surprised me asking: ‘Ford beat Reagan in the first 5 primaries in ‘76 – how on earth did Reagan beat Ford in North Carolina?’ The day we lost the Vietnam War mothers and fathers who’d lived through World War II, watching Russian tanks roll into Saigon,…
Read MorePuzzling
Trump raised tariffs. Said tariffs are beautiful. The next day, about facing, said automakers didn’t have to pay the tariffs. A day after that suspended tariffs on Mexico and Canada for a month. If those tariffs are beautiful – why do that? And if those tariffs are not beautiful, why didn’t Trump know that in…
Read MoreThe Unknown
A legend in politics, with a sneaky streak but a kind heart, Paddy sat down in my office – clear-eyed, practical, thinning black hair, he sees Trump’s flaws but the moment he hears Trump’s voice a kind of supernatural power grips his heart and values he’s cherished for years fly out the window. Poking him,…
Read MoreSpinning Tales
Trump growled Zelensky started the Ukraine war. John Bolton said Trump was wrong. Angry, my friend Ken told me, ‘Ukraine doesn’t matter to us.’ Ken knew Zelensky hadn’t started the war. But Trump spinning a tale didn’t matter to him. After the Soviet Union collapsed, for 30 years America was the world’s dominant power. No…
Read MoreAnything Goes…
Back when Rod Blagojevich ran for governor of Illinois, Obama endorsed him and Trump gave his campaign money. After Obama got elected president, Governor Blagojevich got caught on tape trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder. He got impeached, booted out of office. Then got indicted. Before his trial he starred on…
Read MoreThe Best Way to Steal an Election
We’ve heard a lot about stolen votes – but here’s the best way to steal an election: Redraw a congressional district, take out the voters you don’t like, put in more voters do you like. If you stuff the district with Republicans, the Republican wins. If you stuff it with Democrats, the Democrat wins. The…
Read MoreAlways Wrong
It’s a kind of mystery – will hitting Canada and Mexico with tariffs land us in the promised land or in a ditch? The Wall Street Journal, shaking its head, saw Trump’s tariffs as a bad idea. Trump whacked back, calling the Journal ‘always wrong.’ The Wall Street Journal isn’t always right but it isn’t…
Read MoreWho Pays the Price
Wiley lifted his cell phone, held it in the air in front of him, pushed a button, turned the phone toward Fred. ‘This is Trump’s new ad.’ Leaning forward, shoulders hunched, Fred watched. Rocking back, laughed. ‘That’s great.’ Parting his lips in a crooked grin, voice sharp, grating, Wiley turned to me. ‘I’m guessing in…
Read More